Mining machine



W. A. LOGAN MINING MACHINE Nov. 6, 1934.

Filed March 16, 1934 =3 Sheets-Sheet l FIQE.

FIGS.

W. A. LOGAN MINING MACHINE Nov. 6, 1934.

Filed March 16, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illulllk -W. A. LOGAN MININGMACHINE Filed March 16, 1934 Nov. 6, 193%.,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FI S.

Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UETD TATES PATENT ()FFICE MINING MACHINE WilliamArchibald Logan, Kinghorn, Fife,

Scotland Application March 16, 1934, Serial No. 715,821 In Great BritainMarch 18, 1933 4 Claims.

,. This invention relates to long wall mining machines of the typeincluding two main jibs, namely, an upper jib and a lowerjib, swingablein horizontal planes and so arranged as to form in the coal seam twovertically spaced incisions.

In mining machines of this type it is usual to arrange the jibs invertical alignment so that they may swivel about a single axis.

The present invention consists in an improved mining machineincorporating two main jibs of ,whichone jib is, with reference to thedirection of feed, located in advance'of the other.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan .view and Fig. 2 a sideelevation of a coal-cutting machine constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a coal seam showingthe cuts made therein by the cutting jibs of :the machine. Figs. 4 and 5are a fragmentary elevation and a plan view, respectively, showing thegear-box and cutter chain and conveyor drives. Fig. 6 is a schematicdiagram of the gears.

The coal-cutting machine shown is equipped at its forward end with twovertically spaced gear heads, namely, a lower gear head 1 and an uppergear head 2, the lower gear head 1 being positioned, with reference tothe direction of feed of the machine, in advance of the upper gear head2, so that a lower cutting jib 3 fitted to the gear head 1 is positionedcorrespondingly in advance of an upper cutting jib 4 fitted to the gearhead 2.

Both cutting jibs 3, 4 are swingable in horizontal planes through 180about vertical pivots in the gear heads 1, 2 so that they may be swungfrom the operative position shown in Fig. 1 at one side of the machineto a corresponding operative position at the opposite side of themachine, the jibs extending at right angles to the line of feed ineither limiting operative position.

In addition, the cutting jib 4 is angularly adjustable in a verticalplane so that it may form in the coal seam 5 a horizontally inclined cut6 (Fig. 3) which may slope upwards in the direction away from the coalface 5, as shown, or may slope downwards in the direction away from thecoal face 5'. The leading cutting jib 3 cuts at floor level as shown at7 (Fig. 3)

The cutter chains 3', 4 of the jibs 3, 4, respectively, circulate incounter-clockwise direction and in clockwise direction, respectively, asviewed from above, so that the thrust of one chain counteracts thethrust of the other chain and so that the chain 4 discharges itscuttings on to a conveyor 8 extending rearwardly from the jib 4 andincorporating a detachable shearing jib 9 adapted to form in the coalseam, at the inner ends of the cuts 6, 7, a vertical cut 10. Theconveyor 8 and cutter chain 9' of the jib 9 are adapted to be drivenfrom a transverse shaft 11 of the machine through the medium of a shaft12 extending 6t transversely beneath the conveyor 8 and adapted at eachend for operative connection with one end of the shaft 11 or with thedriving sprocket of the cutter chain 9', depending on which side of themachine the jibs 3, 4 and the conveyor 8 are operating. Secured on eachend of the shaft 12 is a gear wheel 13 meshing with a gear wheel 14housed together with the gear wheel 13 in a casing 15 forming part ofthe frame of the conveyor 8. Each gear Wheel 14 is secured on a shortshaft 16 adapted to be coupled to one end of the shaft 11 or to thedriving sprocket of the cutter chain 9. The conveyor 8 is driven fromthe shaft 12 through chain-and-sprocket gearing 8.

Cuttings from the cutter chain 3' of the lead- Z5 ing jib 3 are gatheredup by a scraper conveyor chain 17 carrying laterally projecting sweeps18 and arranged to circulate in a plane parallel with the floor withinthe hollow soleplate 19 of the machine. At its forward end the scraperchain 17 is trained around two sprockets 20, 20' rotatable on verticalaxes so that the chain 17 is spread in the path of the cuttings from thecutter chain 3. At its rear end the scraper chain 17 is trained around asprocket which is shiftable to permit tensioning of the scraper chain17. The cuttings from the cutter chain 3 are discharged by the scraperchain 17 through openings 17' in the rear end of the soleplate l9 andmust be shovelled on to a face conveyor 22 arranged in series with theconveyor 8, or thrown into the waste. A sloping face 23 at the forwardend of the machine is adapted to guide the cuttings from the cutterchains on to the conveyors.

The cutters on the leading cutter chain 3 can be readily changed byremoval of a fender 24 acting also as a chain guard at the front of themachine.

The frame 25 of the conveyor 8 is adapted for attachment to either sideof the machine by means of T-headed bolts.

The rotor shaft 26 of the driving motor which is housed within thecentral section 27 of the main case of the machine is operativelyconnectible through change-speed gears housed within a withdrawablegear-frame 28 to drive shafts 29, 30 for the cutting jibs 3, 4,respectively, and to the transverse shaft 11. A worm 31 unitary with theshaft 29 meshes witha worm-wheel 32 on a short vertical shaft 33 on thelower end of which is mounted the drive sprocket 20 of the scraperconveyor chain 17.

To permit the jib 4 to be adjusted angularly in a vertical plane therespective gear head 2 is spigoted at 34 (Fig. 4), concentrically withthe shaft 30, into the main case of the machine. Studs fitted in themain case around the spigot 34 penetrate elongated slots in a spigotflange 36 of the gear head 2 and are fitted with nuts 35 (Fig. 1) whichwhen tightened up hold the jib 4 against angular shift in a verticalplane. Preferably, also, a withdrawable locating pin is passed throughan aperture in the flange 36 into a registering aperture in the maincase.

Apertured bosses 37, 38 on each side of the gear heads 1, 2,respectively, "are adapted to receive jib-locking pins 39, 40,respectively, which enter registering apertures in the jibs 3 and '4.

In cases where there is no top parting between the coal and the roof thetop portion of the coal seam may be brought down by a breaking-outdevice in the form of a short cutting jib 41 at the rear end of themachine.

42 denotes the haulage drum at the rear end of the machine.

In operation, the machine, without the conveyor 8 attached thereto, ispulled inagainst the coal face 5. and the jibs 3, 4 swung, one at atime, under the coal in the usual manner.

After both jibs 3, 4 are in cutting position with the-locking pins 39,40 inserted the haulage system is operated to cause the machine to cutaway for a distance of 10 feet or so. The cut coal is then filled on tothe face conveyor to make room for bringing in the conveyor 8 which isattached to the main case of the machine by the aforesaid T- bolts andincorporates the shearing jib 9. The adjacent ends of the shafts l1 and16 are then interconnected by means of a universal coupling 43.- Themachine is now ready to perform normal cutting.

I claim:-

1. In a long wall mining machine, in combination, an upper cutting jib,a lower cutting jib, one of said jibs being located in advance of theother of said jibs with reference to the direction of feed of themachine, a hollow soleplate on the machine, a conveyor adapted forattachment to either side of the machine, a second conveyor incorporatedwithin said hollow soleplate, and means for driving said conveyors.

2. In a long wall mining machine, in combination, an upper cutting jib,a lower cutting jib located in advance of said upper cutting jib withreference to the direction of feed of the machine, a hollow soleplate onthe machine, a conveyor adapted for attachment to either side ofthemachine, a second conveyor incorporated within said hollow soleplate,and means for driving said'conveyors.

reference to the direction of feed of the machine,

a conveyor adapted for attachment to either side of the machine, ashearing jib adapted for attachment to either side of said conveyor, andmeans for-driving said conveyor and shearing jib.

4. In a long wall mining machine, in combination, an upper cutting jib,a lower cutting jib located in advance of said upper cutting jib withreference to the direction of feed of the machine, a hollow. soleplateon the machine, a conveyor adapted for attachment to either side of themachine, a shearing jib adapted for attachment to either side of saidconveyor, means for driving said conveyor and shearing jib, a secondconveyor incorporated within said hollow soleplate, and driving meansfor said second conveyor.

WILLIAM ARCHIBALD LOGAN.

